Editorial: Time's up: Clinton Cabinet drags its feet

Posted: Friday, February 26, 1999

Despite what will amount to another accusation that he is a legal tool of the GOP, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth took appropriate action Monday to prevent the incessant stalling and delaying tactics of Clinton administration officials.

In the past, Democrats have accused Lamberth of being a Republican pawn after he referred to a former Clinton aide as dishonest and labeled a group of former Clinton officials "hooligans."

Lamberth also gave a described pro-conspiracy conservative broad authority to investigate evidence the White House may have misused FBI files.

His decision Monday to hold Interior Secretary Bruce Babbit and Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin in contempt of court for failing to produce documents relating to a dispute over alleged misuse of $500 million in American Indian trust funds will add fuel to the partisan fire.

All politics aside, which is difficult to accomplish, Lamberth took the necessary steps to resolve the situation.

Time is on his side.

Lamberth has ordered Babbitt, Rubin and Assistant Interior Secretary Kevin Gover to pay the legal fees resulting from their inability to produce the documents which were first requested back in November 1996.

A span of more than two years would seem to be adequate time to comply with the judge's order.

It is apparent that Clinton administration officials, thanks to their non-compliance with a judge's order and legal foot-dragging, left Lamberth with no other alternative but to take legal action.

This legal standard should be applied and adhered to no matter the particular political party which happens to control the White House at a specific time.